5 Best Pianos for Beginners in 2018

The piano is a revered instrument to learn but not always the most accessible for home practice, in this article we are going to take a quick look at other options that make for the 5 best pianos for beginners in 2018.

Purchasing a piano can end up a rather large investment both financially and in term of its actual physicality. Budget and space are not the only constraints either, sometimes digital is the only feasible way to go.

So before you dive headfirst into your new hobby here's our beginner piano review and a handy buyers guide to shed a little insight into what's available out there.

There are plenty of options out there each suitable for different purposes, so we have reviewed the five which we think cover all the basic basics a beginner might be looking for, from the more authentic to the cheap and cheerful choices.

View The Best Piano for Beginners Below

1. Yamaha P-115

Hot off of Yamaha's best-selling P-series line the P-115 makes for an amazing space-saving digital beginners upright piano. It's upgraded features make it a leap of a step up from the popular previous model, the P-105.

The previous model featured 128 note polyphony this one has 192, serving up a great range improvement

It has 88 keys in total and it comes reasonably priced with a rather large bundle of goodies that include all the essential a beginner could possibly need., including an instructional learners DVD.

The action on the keys is remarkable, they are weighted using a Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) to mimic the hammers inside an acoustic piano. They have a heavier touch in the low end than the lighter top notes.

The onboard digital signal processing effectively emulates damper resonance. It can be run split into two halves for practicing with a partner in duo mode.

The sound is very impressive and dynamic, the Pure CF Sound Engine uses sampling from a 9 foot Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand piano.

Pros:

+ Authentic emulation tones.

+ GHS weighted action.

+ 192 Polyphony.

+ Beginners bundle including instructional book and DVD.

Why We Liked It - No one knows more about instruments for learners than Yamaha they make some genuinely exceptional instrument for beginners and this digital piano is a testament to their abilities. it plays beautifully and is suitable for players of all levels of ability. For a more in depth look at some of their other commendable options head over to our 5 Best Yamaha Digital Pianos in 2018 article.

2. Hamzer 61-key

This one is a very affordably priced choice from Hamzer. It provides 61 keys, which is just under a full size and is really more of a keyboard option. It features no-frills as far as the action is concerned but the keys are fairly touched responsive. It still makes for the ideal budget option for learning or practicing to play piano, though the transition to an acoustic piano will feel noticeably different.

One of its most beneficial features is its integrated learning system which means that complete beginners can learn to play without a tutor.

It comes with a stand and seat and music sheet holder and even a microphone to use for its record and playback function.

If harbors a host of sounds; 255 timbres and 255 rhythms, 61 percussive keys as well as 24 demo song

Pros:

+ Low price.

+ Built in learning system for multi fingerings.

+ Record function.

Why We Liked It - It is a product that makes learning piano more accessible for the masses. The learning system feature is very valuable.

3. Casio SA76

Next up is another low budget option with a miniature size to match its minimalist price tag.

Now practicing on a 44 key scale sized keyboard isn't an ideal for everyone, but we get a lot of readers who are parents purchasing for young instrumental learners. Smaller hands need relatively sized keys and not every parent is willing to commit to a brand new piano, in case of interests fade into nothing but a phase.

The Casio SA76 makes for a cheap and cheerful starter option that a child can progress from to something better in the future. It has a super-small footprint which hides 100 built-in sounds, 50 drum beats as well as 5 drum pads and comes with 10 songs to teach yourself.

Notes are shown on the display which helps users to learn notation.

Pros:

+ Cheap choice.

+ Built in songbook.

+ Ideal for smaller hands.

Why We Liked It - It is an affordably priced option, and one top contender for best keyboard to learn piano on. The size make it perfect for junior beginners to harness their skills with.

4. LAGRIMA 88 Key

The Lagrima makes for a superb solution to piano practice requirements. It is a desirable digital piano with 88 keys akin to the Yamaha. It comes with a stand which gives it a more traditional acoustic appearance.

Its multi-track function allows for easier learning. The teaching function teaches left or right hand play both separately as well as together. It also features chord function for fingering practice. It has DSP effects including reverb chorus chord and dual tones. It contains over 80 demo songs as well as 960 tones which is exceptionally impressive.

If you use the touch switch the playing expression will vary the volume dependent on the strength the keys are played with. It also has 3 pedals Soft, sustains and sostenuto to mimic acoustic piano damper effects.

Other features include USB/MIDI terminal.

Pros:

+ Relatively realistic digital piano.

+ Pedals.

+ Teaching mode.

Why We Liked It - It is a shining example of one off the best beginner pianos out there and it has an affordable price-tag too.

5. RockJam 54-Key

Last on our list is another top choice of digital piano for a learner. This time a small 54 key option., each key is sturdy and full sized it is just a shorter scale. This gives it the advantage of being easily portable.

It is a great choice for a learner because of its multiple teaching modes. Chords and notes which are clearly displayed on the user-friendly LCD screen. It features 8 demo songs 100 keyboard tones and rhythms.

The user gets access to the piano maestro android App for additional song library content which covers many genres from pop and rock to soundtracks and classical pieces.

Pros:

+ Low Cost option.

+ Teaching mode.

+ Additional app learning content.

Why We Liked It - It is a decent compact option and an ideal choice of digital piano for beginners who want something space saving that comes with adult suitable, full sized keys, without a heavy investment.

Pianos For Beginners Buying Guide

So what features make for the best keyboard piano for beginners let's take a look at your FAQs.

What to look for in a piano for beginners?

If you're buying a piano for beginners, firstly you need to think about age as a factor adults are going to want something with full scale sized keys whereas juniors might get along better with something smaller. There is, however, a school of thought that goes against this stating it can slow down progress as they transition and suggests that young learners should just jump straight in, on a full sized instrument.

Circumstances weigh in on the decision to, for example, if you intend to have or already have lessons from a tutor or in an educational setting you will want something with weighted keys and pedals so that practicing at home is as realistic. Alternatively, if you have a budget that won't stretch to a digital piano or lessons a full-size keyboard may be a sufficient choice.

Many of those we have reviewed come with nifty teaching features for DIY styled instrumental learning.

Best budget piano for beginners?

For best budget piano for beginners, we would recommend the Lagrima, though it's price tag isn't low it is without a doubt the most affordable choice which effectively emulates a traditional piano.

If your budget is considerably lower we would suggest the RockJam 54 key, it has a shorter scale and the keys are not weighted but they are full size and the price is nice and low. Overall they are a good beginner keyboard.

Best 88 key piano for beginners?

Once again we are torn as to whether to go with the Lagrima on this one or the Yamaha.

The Yamaha is truly exceptional, the key response is amazing and it is astoundingly realistic with its weight system but the Lagrimas price tag is much more affordable. It has pedals for effective emulation of acoustic piano practice and it offers a built-in learning system as well as an extensive repertoire of songs in its bank. If you are probably going to be self-taught the Lagrima is a top contender but the Yamaha is a good digital piano solution if you are having lessons. Each is fantastic and it is too close to call.

Best 61-key piano for beginners?

From our top 5 reviews, the only clear winner is the Hamzer, it is a great piece of equipment and serves up 61 keys to practice with.

Best small piano for beginners?

The bet small is the RockJam 54, which offers a great adult sized compact option. If you are shopping for smaller hands or just ant something tinier to tote around on your travels the Casio may be your best choice.

Conclusion

You may have noticed we have only suggested digital solutions, it is never ideal to practice piano on a keyboard but it is also not wise to buy a piano until you are sure about your playing progressing. No one wants to see an unloved piano gathering dust. There are many suitable digital options out there whatever your budget. With a buyers market comes a tougher time narrowing down choices. So we hope our article will be of some help before you make your purchase.

Expert Tip

If you are genuinely looking to play the piano but can't afford one, we stress the importance of looking at a model with weighted keys for more accurate representation.

Did You Know?

You know digital pianos and keyboards make good piano for beginners as they can be operated with headphones... Who knows how many renditions of chopsticks your family can cope with? Interestingly

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